The government of Zambia has expressed profound disappointment with the performance of the Zambia Senior Men’s National Football Team, famously known as Chipolopolo, at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Morocco. Hon. Elvis C. Nkandu, MP, Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts, articulated the government's dissatisfaction, particularly given Zambia’s esteemed history as former African champions. He criticized the team's lack of character, patriotism, sense of responsibility, and will to win expected when representing the nation, highlighting that Zambia's failure to secure a single victory and amassing only two points from a possible nine was an unacceptable outcome for a country with such a rich footballing legacy.

Minister Nkandu urged the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), the technical bench, and the players to engage in deep introspection, questioning if the results truly aligned with their aspirations for the country. He also emphasized the critical need to fully utilize the valuable recommendations made during the National Football Indaba convened on December 1st and 2nd, stating that the team's AFCON performance underscored that the implementation of these guiding reforms in Zambian football could no longer be postponed. While acknowledging the commendable progress of age-group national teams, the Minister voiced significant concern over the consistently average or poor performance of the senior men’s team, an issue he insists requires urgent attention.

Chipolopolo's 2025 AFCON campaign concluded abruptly with a heavy 3-0 defeat to hosts Morocco in their final Group A match. The Zambian side struggled to match Morocco’s intensity from the outset, falling behind in the ninth minute when Ayoub El Kaabi clinically finished from a set piece delivered by Azzedine Ounahi. This early setback unsettled Chipolopolo, who failed to gain a foothold as Morocco dominated possession and controlled the tempo. Brahim Diaz doubled Morocco's lead before the half-hour mark, leaving Zambia trailing significantly at halftime. Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished early in the second half when El Kaabi completed his brace with a spectacular overhead kick in the 50th minute, a goal confirmed after a VAR review, sealing Morocco's 3-0 victory and their qualification to the knockout stages.

Elsewhere in Group A, Mali secured their progression to the Round of 16 by holding Comoros to a goalless draw in Casablanca, despite being reduced to ten men late on following Amadou Haidara's dismissal. These results confirmed Zambia’s elimination from the tournament, bringing an early end to Chipolopolo’s AFCON 2025 journey. Coach Moses Sichone expressed his disappointment with the standard of officiating in the final match, acknowledging that some decisions left him frustrated, although he was clear that refereeing was not the sole reason for the team's exit. He admitted to being upset on the touchline due to what he perceived as questionable calls but stressed that Zambia must also take responsibility for failing to secure the necessary results.

During his post-match press conference, Sichone conceded that his team gave Morocco